Wednesday, April 6, 2016

Save the parks

Today, I have been asked to share a special post. It is something to think about with the following events coming soon like Earth Day and National Volunteer Week. Games for Change created the Save the Park game and American Express will donate $1 to the National Park Foundation for each download of the game from ITUNES. Years ago I created a mosaic from some of my national park visits, hubby and I love to visit our national parks.

For more information about or to download “Save the Park,” please visit iTunes.

National Volunteer Week (April 10-16), National Park Week (April 16-24), and Earth Day (April 22)


Founded in 2004, Games for Change is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the creation and distribution of social impact games that serve humanitarian, social and educational efforts.  “Games for Change shares an affinity with American Express in the importance of gaming in the advancement of society,” said Susanna Pollack, president, Games for Change. “Through our partnership, we are excited to mobilize a new generation of volunteers to preserve and revitalize America’s treasured natural parks.”




Check out the link above to the game on Youtube.

To drive additional resources to the cause, the American Express Foundation will make a $1 donation to NPF for each download of “Save the Park” occurring on or before December 31, 2016, up to $50,000. The donation will support NPF’s park conservation and stewardship work.



“Volunteering is one of the best ways to get up, get out and find your park,” said National Park Service Director Jonathan B. Jarvis. “With more than 400 parks across the country that protect and preserve America’s landscapes, culture and history, we can’t do it alone, and volunteers serve important roles in many of our national parks. We thank American Express and Games for Change for supporting our efforts to inspire a new generation to serve our parks.”



AMERICAN EXPRESS PARTNERS WITH GAMES FOR CHANGE TO LAUNCH MOBILE GAME
“SAVE THE PARK”
Game to encourage volunteerism in national parks during National Park Service Centennial year; First 50,000 game downloads to benefit National Park Foundation

NEW YORK – March 1, 2016 – American Express (NYSE:AXP) today announced a partnership with Games for Change to develop a mobile game designed to galvanize the public to volunteer in national parks. “Save the Park,” available for free on iOS and created through a $250,000 grant from American Express, complements the company’s multi-year, $5 million commitment to help the Department of the Interior achieve its goal of increasing community volunteers in national parks and on public lands to one million annually by 2017.
“Save the Park” features four characters who accomplish volunteer tasks in three different parks, challenging players to experience in a virtual environment the impact they can have on park conservation and stewardship. Embedded calls-to-action encourage players to explore real-world volunteer opportunities in national parks.

“American Express has a long heritage of building community service programs, and we are proud to partner with Games for Change to reimagine volunteer engagement in the digital age,” said Meredith Hahn, vice president, Corporate Social Responsibility, American Express. “To inspire and mobilize the next generation of volunteers we need a new set of tools, and we believe ‘Save the Park’ is a ‘virtual’ first step to converting game players into real-world volunteers.”

Founded in 2004, Games for Change is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the creation and distribution of social impact games that serve humanitarian, social and educational efforts.  “Games for Change shares an affinity with American Express in the importance of gaming in the advancement of society,” said Susanna Pollack, president, Games for Change. “Through our partnership, we are excited to mobilize a new generation of volunteers to preserve and revitalize America’s treasured natural parks.”

“Volunteering is one of the best ways to get up, get out and find your park,” said National Park Service Director Jonathan B. Jarvis. “With more than 400 parks across the country that protect and preserve America’s landscapes, culture and history, we can’t do it alone, and volunteers serve important roles in many of our national parks. We thank American Express and Games for Change for supporting our efforts to inspire a new generation to serve our parks.”

Downloads Help Save the Parks

Additionally, “Save the Park” is part of American Express’ partnership with the National Park Foundation (NPF) for Find Your Park/Encuentra Tu Parque, a bilingual public awareness and education movement to inspire people of all backgrounds to discover all that a park can be, share their experiences with each other, and support these treasured places and their unique programs as the National Park Service kicks off its second century in 2016.

To drive additional resources to the cause, the American Express Foundation will make a $1 donation to NPF for each download of “Save the Park” occurring on or before December 31, 2016, up to $50,000. The donation will support NPF’s park conservation and stewardship work.

Developing Virtual Park Stewards Through Gaming

To develop “Save the Park,” Games for Change engaged Schell Games, a leading educational game developer that has produced games for PBS Kids, the Fred Rogers Company, and Walt Disney, among others.

“Save the Park” allows players to virtually experience the types of volunteer activities that support parks and the critical caretaking role volunteers play. The game also introduces facts about specific national parks to help create a greater emotional connection between the player and these treasured places. Players are encouraged to visit NPS.gov to explore volunteer opportunities in their local communities and join the hundreds of thousands of volunteers that help maintain trails, provide visitor services, give guided nature walks and historic tours, support preservation initiatives and deliver education programs to youth and school groups in National Parks. They can also share elements of the game experience socially.





Above is a mosaic I created of all the National Parks I have visited. Click on the photo for a larger image.  I say get out there check out our national parks and if you can find a way to volunteer. I think  if you have the time to volunteer in a National Park it could also be like a vacation. Just something to think about.  Enjoy your day! 

45 comments:

  1. Great post, Eileen. It is good to contribute to saving and maintaining of all the parks. Have a wonderful day!

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  2. Wonderful mosaic! Have a beautiful day!

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  3. Its criminal (and I really mean that) what some (most?) governments are doing to the Park systems around the world. I seem to recall something about not being able to eat money being said in the past!

    Cheers - Stewart M - Melbourne

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  4. Ficou maravilhoso o mosaico e mostra bem a beleza desses Parques que devem sei, ser preservados, mantidos, respeitados na sua natureza! Lindo! bjs, chica

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  5. Um post muito interessante e nunca é demais todos os meios para salvarmos o que ainda resta de parques nacionais bem como a floresta da Amazónia que anda muito mal tratada.
    Um abraço e óptima Quarta-Feira.

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  6. Thanks for sharing this, something I had not heard of before. Parks are those special places that need to be preserved.

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  7. A very good idea but I hope more people put aside their computer games & get out there as you say & enjoy these important natural resources & wonderful parks.
    Thanks for sharing & hope you have a great day!

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  8. Hi! The mosaic photo is fantastic. Thanks for sharing.

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  9. Hi Eileen, what a wonderful initiative. Thanks for sharing. Have a great day. Jo

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  10. I love our parks to, i have only been to 12 if my count is right. we have 7 here and 1 in Daytona that i have been to many times.. the other 4 are in GA. all close to Savannah. but never to any that require long distant travels. i do visit the ones that are close to wherever i live. that reminds me there are several in KY but that was as a child not adult

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  11. What a fun idea. We need to save the parks, for us and the future.

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  12. Beautiful mosaic, and very good initiative!

    Have a Happy Wednesday!

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  13. Thank you for spreading this awareness! Our great parks need to belong to US! Your own photos could grace an ad campaign for visiting them all!

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  14. We definitely need to preserve and maintain parks, Eileen!

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  15. Good post , Yes we need our parks and natural habitats for not only us but for the wildlife more then anything we need more sanctuaries to for wildlife wish our countries would build less houses, cities and subdivisions and more natural places for our wildlife and nature , no matter what the future brings we still need nature and our wildlife for the land to survive and thrive it is called the circle of life ! Thanks for sharing , Have a good day !

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  16. You are a one woman argument for the magnificence of our parks and wild places, Eileen!

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  17. I think these kind of games can have quite an impact!

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  18. That's a lot of parks, Eileen. Thanks for your post.

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  19. Great post ... I will try to see if I can get the game. We're huge NP fans too and I love the mosaic you created of yours!

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  20. Your mosaic is simply amazing! Thanks for sharing this post.

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  21. I love our National Parks, and am for anything that keeps them going.

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  22. Amazing mosaic of all the parks you have been to Eileen. Thank you for sharing this very important message. Our National Parks are a true treasure.

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  23. Good for you Eileen, yes, it would go to a great charity.

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  24. Great Post and a most important message ...

    All the best Jan

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  25. Great idea and I hope was realized. In many parks you were, what you see on your mosaic. All Things certainly were beautiful. Regards.

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  26. Wonderful post Eileen. I love your images/collage of all the parks. You really do appreciate parks. I do too but I haven't been so nearly so many!

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  27. Love our national parks been to a few.
    Merle.........

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  28. Wish I were younger..Great cause and a fun place to volunteer..Love your mosaic..

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  29. we love our National & State Parks a lot. prefer them actually. so fun!! always make a point to use them, enjoy them & love them to pieces. lots of photos too. i love your mosaic Eileen, so pretty!!. such a fan of all things travel. i did try to research the app, not sure the reason? i guess it is a game? but there are no reviews, i love doing that before i download one 1st. many i will google it more. have a great one! ( :

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  30. A great post and a great cause!

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  31. Wow! you have visited quite a few of them. We also love visiting national park, monument, forests but didn't visit as many as you have. They are so beautiful. I'm also a member of NPF. It's a great way to raise fund though with so many kids nowadays playing all these games in their Iphones.

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  32. National Parks should be supported as much as possible.

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  33. Love the parks! I filled out a form to volunteer for our local national parks but they never needed me.

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  34. This is a great and important initiative. You have visited so many National Parks!

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  35. That's a wonderful cause you support Eleen. Your drawing attention to this via your blog is a great way to spread the word, so full marks for that.

    Enjoy your week and see you on Saturday.

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  36. A great post, Eileen! And a very important cause to support...
    Parks must be preserved... so it's important to mobilize as many people as possible...
    Good work, Eileen!
    Enjoy your day!
    Ana

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  37. what a great, informative post eileen and your mosaic is beautiful!!!!

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  38. I am with you! I love National Parks, and NWR... all of those! I shall check this out! And spread the word! I am busy checking out what parks are along the way to visiting friends and family... from TN to MS! Thanks for sharing!

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  39. Great post Eileen . . .
    We are park visitors . . . sometimes just in the car.
    This inspired me to get out and walk!
    We are going north in a few days, opportunity to check out some parks I haven't visited and move my body!

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